Dress or skirt trimming mechanism



Aug. 21,1945. v.,J. SIGODA 'DRESS R SKIRT TRIMMING MECHANISM 4' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17/ 1941 I I III...

- V f INVENTOR. I We TOR dS/GODA A TTOR/VEX Aug. 21, 1945. v. J. SIGODA DRESS OR SKIRT TRIMMING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

VICTOR 4/ 5/600! BY gm TTOR/VEX Aug. 21,1945. v. J. SIGODA I v DRESS OR SKIRT TRIMMING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 17, 1941 INVENTOR. We 70/? (1 5/ 01! jq TTORN'E'X H IHHHI MHHH plllllll lllll fll l l l l l f H Aug. 21, 1945. v. J. slGoDA 2,383,020

DRESS OR SKIRT TRIMMING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTOR/YEX present instance, I have shown this disk or wheel as having a serrated or toothed edge portion 22 for providing the garment with a pinked edge, though it will be understood that, as in the alternative embodiment of Fig. 9, the rotatable cutting wheel may have a continuous peripheral cutting edge for'producing a straight line out of the garment material.

On one side of the base plate 20 in parallel relation therewith, a pin or stud 23 is fixedly mounted and supports the pivotally rockable lever 24 in one end of which the pressure'roller 25 is journaled to cooperate with the cutting edge of the disk or Wheel 2| and press the garment material thereon. To the other end of said lever the adjusting screw 26 is connected, whereby the lever 24 may be rocked relative to the base 28 and the pressure of the roller 25 upon the v garment. material regulated as required.

for the purposes of the present explanation.

The above described cutter unit is mounted upon the end of, the rod l8 in adjacent relation to the rotatable'shaft 6 by means of a suitable bracket member 28 fixed at one of its ends to the arm or lug 29 projectingjfrom ones'ide of the base plate 20 and extending below said base plate. The lower end of the bracket member is provided with an opening slidably receiving the. rod l8 and carries the set screw 30, whereby said bracket may be securely fixed in its longitudinally adjusted'positionon said rod. Also said bracket may be rotatably adjusted on the rod [8 to position th'eplate 20 and cutter-wheel 2| in a desired verticalplane with relation to the shaft 6 as may be,found desirable in order to a ply a certain pull or tension to the dress or skirt material. during the cutting operation. To the lower' end of the .shaft 6 and within the housing 1 a cam plate 3| i'sfixed and peripherally coacts with a suitable roller 32 mounted on one end of a lever 33, the other end of which is .fixed to the lower end of the post or trunnion II. A spring indicated at 33 maintains the roller 32 in contact with'the cam 3| and yieldingly resists relative movement of the lever 33. It will thus be understood 'that as the shaft 6 and the dress supporting form are rotated, an oscillating motion is transmitted by the cam, plate 3| and lever 33 to the vertical casing I2 so'that the cutting or trimming unit is bodily moved radially withrespect to the axis ofithe shaft 6. Thus the cutting'u'nit is automatically positioned as required by the width or fullness of the garment so as to obtain an accurate and continuous even out throughout the lower edge of the dress or skirt; j

Preferably, I provide a sliding tapered collar 34 on the rod l8. This collar is urged into frictional binding contact against: the edges of the slot I9 in the wall of the casing l2 by the spring 35 interposed between said collar and collar 36 which is fixed to the rod l8. This provides sufficient resistance to any casual shifting move- 2,383,020 tially in the plane of said base plate. In the ment of the sleeve [6 in the oscillating motion of the casing |2 so that the vertically adjusted position of the cutting or trimming unit will not be altered.

For the further accurate control of the cutting or trimming action, I preferably provide separate rheostats for the motors 9 and 21 which are conventionally indicated at 31 and 38 respectively. The contact arm 39 for the rheostat 31 is adjusted by means of the foot operated treadle '40, while the arm 4| associated with rheostat 3B is adjusted bymeans of the vertically positioned hand operated lever 42. By making the proper adjustments of the respective rheostats, the supply of current to the respective motors 9 and 27 maybe controlled to thereby operate the rotatable dress supporting form 5 and the cutter wheel 2| of the trimming unit at selected speeds. This is a desirable provision to properly trim garments of varying designs particularly dresses which may be provided with numerous pleats, or folds. v

g In the operation of the machine as above described, it will be understood that the trimming or cutting unit is first vertically adjusted relative to the floor surface by theoperation of the adjustingrod 3 to raise or lower the sleeve .|6 and rod |8 so thatvthe point ofcontact of the pressure roller 25 with the cutting edge of the wheel 2| will be located at the required predetermined distance above the floor surface in accordance with the desired length of the skirt. .When

the skirt is draped upon the form'5, its lower edge portion is passed downwardly between the pressure roller 25 and the cutter wheel 2|. When continuous movement of the fabric material between the pressure roller and the cutter wheel so that an even straight out is obtained .around the entire lower edge of the garment at a uniformly spacedfvertical distance above the floor surface.

v In Figs. 4 to 8 of the drawings Ihave illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the rotatable perpendicular shaft 6 is driven by the motor 9 through speed reduction gearing 8', as in the construction first described. In. this case, however, the dress w or skirt supporting form 5' is vertically more readily adjustable relative to the shaft 6'. For this purpose, I provide upon the said shaft, int'ermediate of its ends the fixed plate 43 to which the lower ends of aplurality of relatively spaced vertical rods 44 are fixed, said rods constituting guides for the form 5 extending upwardly into suitable bores provided in said form. The upper end of the shaft 6 also rotates freely in a central bore in the form 5'. The lower end of a vertical rack 45 is also fixed to the plate 43,'.thc form 5' having a vertically extending chamber or bore 46 to receive the upper end portionof this rack. I 1 To the lower end face of the form 5' the elongated metal bar 41 is suitably fixed and is provided at one of its ends with an angularly projecting lug terminating in a depending part as indicated at 48. In'spaced relation thereto, said lug is also formed with a second depending part feed member or cylinder 14 isyieldingly held at its base in engagement with the upper face of said cutting disk in the same manner as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings so that, in accordance with the thickness of the material being fed to the knife blade 9|, said feeding member or cylinder may eccentrically shift relative to the cutting edge of the blade, and thus insure the maintenance of a proper feeding pressure of the material against the cooperating face of the feed roller Tl.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner ofoperation and several advantages of the described embodiments of the invention will be clearly-understood. Practical tests of these machines have demonstrated that in the operation thereof, the dress or skirt will be quickly'and accurately cut or trimmed at its lower edge so that, upon'the body of the wearer, it will be uniformly'spaced for the predetermined distance above the gr under floor surface. The proper operation and control of the trimming mechanism also requires but little manual effort or skill and enables the dress manufacturer to accurately and expeditiously execute such trimming operations'withou't previous marking of the desired-skirt length" on the fabric material. While I have herein shown and described embodiments of my present invention, which I believeto be admirably designed for the purpose in view, it is nevertheless to' be understood that such disclosure, as to many of the mechanical features of the machine, ismo're or less'illustrative, and therefore susceptible "of embodiment in "other alternative structural forms. Accordingly, it is to be understood that in the further development of the present invention I reserve the'privilege of resorting to all such changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may fairly be comprehendedwithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 4 i I 1.1 In combination,a rotatable dress supporting unit and operating means therefor, atrimming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating means therefor, and means 'for'selectively controlling the relative speeds of rotation of said dress supporting unitand the trimming cutter. 2. In combination, a rotatable dress supporting unit andoperating meanstherefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating means therefor, means for bodily adjusting one of the said units vertically relative to the other to position the cutter in predetermined position with respect to the lower edge of 'the dress, and means for selectively controlling the relative speeds of rotation of said dress supporting unit and the trimming cutter. V V 3. In combination, a rotatable dress supporting unit and operating means therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating means therefor, andmeans operable in the rotation of said supporting unit for bodilymoving the trimming unit to variously position the trimming cutter radially with respect to the axis of supporting unit, and means for selectively controlling the relative speeds of rotation of said dress supporting unit and the trimming cutter.

.5. In combination, a dress supporting unit and a rotatably mounted operating shaft therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating means therefor, and means for variably positioning the trimming unit radially with respect to the axis of said operating shaft, including a cam member fixed to said shaft.

6. In combination, a dress supporting unit and a rotatablymounted operating shaft therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter, a member supporting said trimming unit independently of said dress supporting unit, and means for bodily moving said trimming unit and its support relative to the dress supporting unit to variably position the trimming cutter radially with respect to the latter unit, said adjusting means including a cam member fixed to the operating shaft for the dress supporting unit.

'7. In combination, a dress supporting unit and rotatably mounted operating shaft therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter, a mem-- ber supporting said trimming unit independently of said dress supporting unit, means for angularly adjusting said trimming unit relative to the axis of rotation of the dress supporting unit, and means for bodily moving said trimming unit and its support relative to the dress supporting unit to variably position the trimming cutter radially with respect to the latter unit, said latter means including a cam member fixed to the operating shaft for the dress supporting unit.

8. In combination, a rotatable dress support and operating shaft therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter andv operating means therefor, means for verticallyadjusting said trimming unit relative to the dress support, and means including a member connected with the operating shaft for the dress support to automatically bodily vary the position of the trimming unit radially of the dress support during the rotation of the latter.

9. In combination, a rotatable dress support and vertically positioned operating shaft therefor, a driving motor for said shaft, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating motor therefor, a supportfor said trimming unit, and means for vertically adjusting said support and unit relative to the dress support, and means for bodily adjusting said support and trimming unit radially with respect to the dress support, including a cam member fixed to the operating shaft for said dresssupport.

10. In combination, a rotatable dress support and vertically positioned operating shaft therefor, a dr1ving motor for said shaft, a trim-ming unit having a rotatable cutter and operating motor therefor, a support for said trimming unit, means for vertically adjusting said support and unit relative to the dress support, means for bodily adjusting said support and trimming unit radially with respect to the dress support, including a cam member fixed to the operating shaft for said dress support,'and means for independently controlling the operation of the motors for the dress support and trimming unit to rotate said support and the trimming cutter at variable selected speeds.

11. In combination, a base housing, a rotatable dress support andoperating means therefor in one end of the housing, a vertically disposed casing rotatably mounted on the other end of the housl a support extending laterally from said casa trimming unit carried by the support, means within said casing for vertically adjusting said support to=rotatesaid casing re-lative tcthehousa ment. during r t t o upp ins m ns end bi -th -hous'ingss}supporting member extendf s' Plfiflfiprelative o lo d io the g ing laterally from the casing, a trimming nit menttduring.rotatiorriofitsaidssupport, and means having a rotatable cutter and means for adjustre p nt roiisaid:iast namedum n ably mounting said unit on the supporting mem- M fl aop atibn' f said =powerioperated her to position said cutter in a, predetermined ctu t n e operating plane with respect tothe axis of said Ina ar t trimming machine, a rotatdress support, manually operable means for ver a Supporting unit, a trimming n t aV- dress upport, nd, means insaidlbase housing I adjusting one of said units relative to the other asssgo'eo 1 I :5 support andii thei'trimming iu'nit relativeitdi the siti'on ithe. same in." verticaliyw space dLLrelation dress fsupp'ort; andv means within said housing th'e'r'etolato establish 1 a definiterhorizontal cutting automatically operated in therotation of th'e dress plane .withfirespect toathe lower edge of they gar ing and variably positionsaidtrimmingunitand l QF n al fl e t i "ma i e,2 a L D i-ts support-radially with 1 spect to the axis :of said 'tatably mountedugaiment support; :rotiary. cutting rotatablcrdressisupport f I means: verticalllyrkmoivableias a' unitrelative". to 1 :12, 1.11 iombinationgaibas housing, a I rotatable said: support, "power, 'lop'erated means lion actuate dress sup ort: and operating-:xmeans therefor ing saidcuttmg m n y p b m n mounted in one' end-tsaid ho using; avei'tically 11, fbrwvertically a EP I1i11gtSdid"cutdisposed casing rotatably mounted on the other tingmeanstto.establish a definite horiz-ontal cuttically adjusting said supporting member and ing a rotatableflitfier, 11169118 for p ti Said 7 trimming unit relative to said casing and the supp rting and trimming units, means for bodily including a part operatively connected with a t dispose the cutter p fi f ed p ition part or the operating means with the dress sup- With p t 1 t lower, edge of t e s, and port to rotate said casing and position said supmeans Operable independently f Said last na porting member and trimming unit in variably 0 control theoperatiiig means f Said spaced radial relation to theaxis of the dress dress supporting and trimming units.

i e i 21. In a garment trimming machine, means to support. I

13. In combination, a dress support rotatable Support garment, rotatable Cutting mea s to about a vertical axis and operating means therem the nether edge of the gar means to for, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter a ate Said Cutting means including a motor and operating means therefor, means for adjustand drive gearing for said cutt g meant, d ably mounting said unit to position said rotat means to vertically a j Said utt me ns able cutter in-various planes of operation re1a-, nd. its r v gearing a a t e a tive to the tive to the axis of the dress support, and ,mangarment pp t means While maintaining OD- u-ally operable means for controlling the rotaerative connection between said gearing and the tion of the dress support and said trimming cut- 111013013 ter. I 22. In a garment trimming machine, a rotata- 14. In combination with a dress support roble garment support, a cutting station, co-acting tatable about a vertical axis and operating means parts one Of Which is manually p b o m therefor, a trimming unit having a rotatable cut- 40 on o Said parts relative to the other axially of ter and operating means therefor, meansfor adthe garment support, and means connecting said 'justably mounting said unit to position said cutmovable part in load sustaining relation with the ter in various planes of o eration relative to the arment supp t t v rt a y ad t th p siti n aids of said dress support, and manually operof said support relative to said cutting station.

able means for controlling the operating means 23. Inagarment t i ing machine, a rm nt for said dress support and trimming cutter to support, a cutting station, and manually operable rotate the same at selected relativespeeds. means mounted below said garment support in 15. A garment trimming machine comprising eluding co-acting members one of which is roin combination a support for a garment, means tatable relative to the other, whereby rectilinear to rotate said support around its axis, a rotatbodily movement is imparted to one of said meming cutting member, and means for directing the bers, and means connecting the latter member garment fabric into engagement with said rotatwith said support to vertically adjustthe posiing cutter during the rotation of said support. tion of thesupport relative to the cutting station 16. A garmenttrimming machine comprising upon operation of said first named means. I in combination a support for a garment, means 24. In a garment trimming machine of the to rotate said support around its axis, a rotatcharacter described, in combination meansto ing cutting member, and means to engage the support a garment, means to revolve said garbottom or said gannent'and feed it to said cutting merit, supporting means, a cutting station, and member. means comprising a rack and pinion to move 17. In a garment trimming'machine, a rotatsaid garment supporting meansvertically relaably mounted garment support, a rotary cutting tive to said cutting station. means vertically movable as a unit relative to 25. In a garment trimming machine, the comsaid support, power operated means for actuatbination of means to support a garment, cuting said cutting means, and manually operable ting means to trim the garment, means to actu-, means forvertically moving andtpositioning said 1 ate said; cutting means and revolve the garment cutting means to establish a, definite horizontal supporting means, and manually operable means cutting plane relative to the lower edge of the to effect relative bodily movement between said garment during rotation of said support. garment supporting means and cutting means 18. Ina garment trimming machine, the comand establish a desired operating position of said bination of means to support a garment, cutting 0 cuttin means with respect to the garment means to trim the nether edge of the garment, 26. In a garment trimming machine, the commeans to actuate said cutting means, means to bination of means to support a garment, cutting ev lve d garment pp means, a d means to trimthe garment, means to actuate said means to vertically move said cutting means as I cutting means and revolve the garment supporta unit relative to said supporting means and poingmeans, manually operable means to effect rel ative bodily movement between said garment supporting means and cutting means and establish a desired operating position of said cutting means with respect t the garment, and meanscontrollin the effective operation of said actuating means in the latter position of said cutting means.

27. In a, garment trimming machine, a rotatable dress supporting unit, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter, means for operating said sup-,- porting and trimming units, and means for vertically adjusting one of said units relative to the other to dispose the cutter in predetermined relation to th lower edge of the dress, while maintaining an operative connection between. each of said units and said operating means.

28. In a garment trimming machine, a rotatable dress supporting unit, a trimming unit having a rotatable cutter, means for operating said supporting and trimming units, means for vertically adjusting one of said units relative to the other 

